Trimming For the Kids

Dance Marathon executives, family members, and dancers cut their hair and shaved their heads as the clock struck the halfway point of Dance Marathon 23.

Dancer Jared Blatz saw the shaving event last year, and made a bet with a friend of his to grow his hair out and then shave it all off.

“I think it shows a level of comfort,” Blatz said. “That’s the main idea that we’re trying to get at with these kids just to make sure that they feel comfortable and they know that they’re not alone. Hair grows back so it’s probably one of the easiest things I can do.”

In order to donate, donors must have at least eight inches of hair on their heads.

Dancers Mallory Barney and Caley O’Brien decided to make a stand by shaving all of their hair to donate. Both were inspired by a former morale captain.

“I thought about it for a long time, I was like ‘oh that was really cool,’ so I thought why not do it this year,” Barney said. “To give a little girl or boy, anybody with cancer, hair is just a great opportunity.”

Barney said she was a little nervous, but has a good support system. O’Brien said that her support system allowed her to shave her head as well.

“I’m surrounded by so much support, and it’s all [for the kids],” O’Brien said. “Hair grows back. With these kids, some of them don’t have the ability to grow hair because of chemo, and if I can give that to them, I’m going to.”

O’Brien had been growing her hair out since the last Dance Marathon.

“It feels good, it feels cold, and definitely different, but different is good,” Barney said.